Taking One for the Team

To "take one for the team" means to put yourself out there and do something the others aren't able to handle for whatever reason - fear, uncertainty, pain. It's a blocked shot, an unfair fight or a tumble into the stands. It's often the high road to peer pressure and a great way to show participation skills as you give up your sense of security to ensure success. This is why I'm representing InGamer at the Accelerator Program Paintball day tomorrow, where I will be taking on some of our business neighbours in a not-so-friendly competition of skill and stealth.

Am I nervous? Absolutely. Unlike the Poker Classic which had me pitted against various depths of mind strength and the ability to just walk away the loser, paintball actually involves physical pain and athletic skill that could leave me with scars lasting much longer than those emotionally. It's like human hunting but with splats of neon to make it cartoon-like, something we all long for when we attempt to do something so seemingly inappropriate. Am I ready? Absolutely. I've been a veteran of first person shooter video games for the better part of my life, and take pride in building kill streaks that propel me to prestige as soon as possible. The adrenaline rush I feel when I play Call of Duty should be minor compared to the almost real-life services I will be providing to my employer come tomorrow afternoon. With my platoon of two, possibly three InGamers, I will lead the charge like Kevin Durant and roll like Thunder to my first on-field victory. I will go in as the decoy, the mole, I'll stand in the front lines of battle, anything to make the InGamer name heard loud and clear.

I'll take one for the team, maybe two or possibly six depending on how strong our brigade is. I'll be the coach, the captain and the substitute, but I will not be the first man down, er, woman down. I won't be the nurse either. Just because I'm a lady it doesn't mean I'll be limited to the recovery efforts of the injured or the replenishing of other men's ammo. It will be messy, dangerous and compromising to the relationships I've built with the people in this building, the beautiful Lang Tannery here in Kitchener, but in all sports, especially ones with (paint) loaded guns, it's survival of the fittest and I've got my war paint on.